May 31, 2025
Spotlight Stories
Spotlight 1 – The Strategist says that Australia’s national security depends on robust, sustainable food and nutrition security. Check it out, here.
Spotlight 2 – Eos reviews why it’s so important to keep soil healthy…along with how science can help. Read the story, here.
Spotlight 3 – AgWeb writes about the unexpected impact from recent Illinois dust storms on people, communities, and crops. Take a read, here.
Industry Updates
The UK Agri-Tech Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), through its Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca (IRNASA-CSIC), to advance innovations in agroforestry systems, sustainable inputs and renewable energy applications. The vision is to bolster business growth, innovation, research and collaboration in the agri-tech sector—solidifying a shared commitment to addressing global agricultural challenges and enhancing sustainability through joint initiatives. It also supports market entry strategies for businesses in both countries and further strengthens the agri-tech sectors in the UK and Spain. [link]
The ReGenWine study, led by Stellenbosch University and funded by South Africa Wine, examines how regenerative farming, including the use of cattle, can help wine farmers in South Africa cope with the growing challenges of climate change, rising costs, and sustainability demands. The study runs over three years, with Hartenberg Wine Estate near Stellenbosch as the main trial site. As climate change intensifies, vineyards in South Africa face rising temperatures, water scarcity, and soil degradation. In response, the ReGenWine project offers a compelling local solution grounded in regenerative agriculture. [link]
Scientists at the James Hutton Institute in the UK have found that a fungus hiding inside common grasses could play a major role in helping Europe's farmers tackle some of their toughest challenges. Known as Epichloe, this endophytic fungus lives inside plant tissues, with certain species quietly offering a surprising range of benefits, from natural pest protection to increased drought resistance. Certain strains of Epichloe are used in pastures in New Zealand and the United States, where they have helped grasslands thrive by producing natural chemicals that deter insects. Modern versions are non-toxic and safe for livestock. [link]
A recent review from Murdoch University reveals that the world's soils now contain nearly 23 times more microplastics than the oceans. This contamination does not stay in the dirt. It travels through roots, into crops, and onto our plates. Without a shift in awareness and policy, the health of humans and ecosystems may face irreversible harm. One of the most disturbing findings from the review is that these plastics may contain up to 10,000 different chemical additives. Many of them remain completely unregulated in agricultural contexts. [link]
Despite severe drought and devastating flooding, Australian farmers are on track to plant a record winter crop, sowing an area equivalent to the size of the United Kingdom. A report by agribusiness Rabobank estimates 24.5 million hectares of wheat, barley, chickpeas and canola will be sown, breaking the record of 24.1 million hectares set in 2020/21. That is despite farmers in southern parts of the country reducing their planting or diversifying to cope with devastating dry conditions. [link]
The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) in the United States is unveiling a new grant made possible through funding from the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation. The Organic Dairy Product Promotion (ODPP) Grant is designed to increase organic dairy in schools, child-care centers, and other youth-based programs. This unique opportunity is part of a national initiative to increase the consumption of organic dairy among children and young adults while supporting small and mid-sized organic dairy producers. Funded projects will address expansion of existing organic dairy procurement or the addition of organic dairy products. Grants will range from $50,000 - $500,000 with no match requirement. $1,750,000 is available this round. This is the first of two times that this grant will be offered. [link]
Brother’s Bond Bourbon announced the launch of its first-ever micro-batch single barrel release, a Regenerative Grain Straight Bourbon, selected by 1 Hotels. This limited-edition bourbon, crafted with 100% regenerative grain and aged for seven years, will be available at select 1 Hotels locations in the United States beginning in June. By utilizing regenerative grain farming, this bourbon not only delivers flavor and complexity but also supports soil health and sustainable agriculture. [link]
A new low-cost bioreactor from cultivated meat company, Meatly, could slash cultivated meat production expenses by 95%. Meatly has completed commissioning, delivering initial cell growth tests using a newly developed pilot-scale bioreactor with a 320-liter capacity. Designed in-house by Meatly’s research and development team, the bioreactor is priced at approximately £12,500, significantly lower than the typical pharmaceutical-grade bioreactors currently used in the cultivated meat sector, which can cost around £250,000 or more. The company has also developed a culture medium currently costing 22 pence per liter, with expectations to reduce this to 1.5 pence per liter at scale. This figure is considerably below the industry benchmark of £1 per liter for culture media. [link]
One Banana, a family-owned, vertically integrated company committed to the responsible production of the highest quality bananas and natural ingredients, announced the launch of its Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Project, developed with technical support from EARTH University and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This forward-looking initiative is designed to study, implement and validate regenerative farming practices tailored for tropical crops, laying the groundwork for healthier soils, more resilient ecosystems, and a more sustainable global food system. This pilot forms part of PlanetA, One Banana’s corporate sustainability strategy, which integrates a regenerative approach into the company’s core business operations. [link]
Morocco has emerged as a key beneficiary of the Mirova Sustainable Land Fund 2 (MSLF2), a €363 million impact investment initiative targeting sustainable agricultural and forestry management across seven countries, reinforcing the Kingdom’s leadership in Africa’s ecological transition. The fund, launched by Mirova—a Natixis Investment Managers affiliate—with strategic support from the Green Climate Fund, addresses urgent agro-environmental challenges including soil erosion, water scarcity, and climate disruption. The MSLF2 deploys a hybrid financing model, combining €75 million in concessional capital from the Green Climate Fund with private investment to create a multiplier effect. [link]
A new EU Soil Health Data Cube layered map will revolutionize how farmers, land managers and policy makers sustainably manage soil in Europe. Almost one hundred scientists have contributed to the project, which integrates hundreds of thousands of observations and data points on soil, climate and vegetation using a multidimensional matrix powered by artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. This new tool allows scientists and researchers to obtain open data representing European landscape and soil properties in space and time, and can potentially be used to simulate complex scenarios and accurately predict, test and model real world solutions. [link]
Google and agtech solutions provider Arable announced a water replenishment-focused collaboration, with Google agreeing to fund projects to bring Arable’s efficient irrigation technology to farmers in North and South Carolina. According to the companies, Google plans to invest more than $4 million to fund the use of Arable’s technology on 20,000 acres, aimed at saving more than 500 million gallons (1.9 billion liters) over eight years. Founded in 2014, Arable enables data-driven decisions in agriculture and natural resource management to help improve agricultural sustainability and productivity. The company’s solutions integrate IoT technology, machine learning, and advanced modeling to convert in-field weather, crop, soil, and irrigation data into real-time insights. [link]
Sustainable agriculture and biological solutions provider Indigo Ag and Microsoft announced their second carbon removal agreement, with a new commitment from Microsoft to purchase 60,000 soil carbon credits generated through the promotion of regenerative agriculture practices by U.S. farmers. The new transaction follows an initial 40,000 carbon credit purchase agreement by the companies last year. Founded in 2013, Indigo Ag provides nature-based and digital technologies aimed at helping farmers improve profitability and environmental sustainability. [link]
In Case You Missed It…
In mid-March, the NotCo, an AI-driven foodtech company, announced the creation of a new GLP booster. See more, here.